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Tibetans rejected by Botswana

admin — Sat, 17 Feb 2018 22:38:50 +0000

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Steve Lee

In this day and age, as the world is becoming increasingly connected due to the Internet and globalization, it is economic might that now determines the politics of nations, and no longer military might as it used to be. Today’s world order sees China fast overtaking America to become the world’s leading economic power and they are not afraid to flex this muscle.

Botswana is a landlocked nation in Africa, just north of South Africa. Click to enlarge.

These days, there is not a single country that does not depend heavily on trade with China. Inevitably, thanks to their economic prowess, China is able to exert their influence over many countries, especially the smaller and poorer African states that depend heavily on foreign aid and investment. Since trade is key to their survival and prosperity of their citizens, many of these countries will do whatever is in their power to maintain bilateral relations with China.

The truth however, is that China has never really shown any interest in the internal affairs of any country. When China does take a keen interest, it is in countries who have received a state visit from His Holiness the Dalai Lama or any Tibetan leaders like Lobsang Sangay. China sees it from the perspective of national security because the Dalai Lama has in the past advocated independence of Tibet, which is part of China today.

Such independence would be tantamount to the separation of the Chinese state, which the central government has been fiercely protecting. For any nation to meet with the Dalai Lama, it would therefore be viewed as supporting instability within the Chinese nation. What nation would not be wary of this, and do their best to ensure all the factors remain in place for stability for their people? Hence, in this way, any meeting with the Tibetan leadership has the potential to jeopardize trade relations with China who, like any responsible government, will use their strengths to their advantage.

The San hunter-gatherers, a tribe of bushmen who live in an area spanning South Africa to Botswana.

In today’s world, it is not the form of government (like socialism, monarchy or democracy) that is important anymore, but it is more important to see if it works or not. China, for example, may adhere to a Marxist system that has been labelled as Communism, but for the Chinese nation it appears that this form of governance is turning out better than many so-called democracies. China is showing that not everything from the West is applicable to every nation on this planet. So people can criticize and knock China’s form of Communist government as much as they want, but it sure has worked in making them into a superpower.

It is this superpower status that every nation in the world wants to link up to and benefit from. This was made clear about Botswana in the article Dalai Lama Protégé Chickens Out of Botswana Event. It notes that “some top government officials (of Botswana) are said to be on the side of the Chinese government as they feel Botswana benefits more from China that it can ever benefit from its friendship with the Dalai Lama“. It may be glamorous to meet the Dalai Lama, and perhaps religiously and morally compelling to do so but it does virtually nothing for the nation itself.

On the other hand, maintaining ties with China may not be glamorous. It may even seem to be an unpopular choice but the truth is, fostering a relationship with China does bring economic prosperity that will trickle down to every sector of society and hence, tremendous benefit for any country.

Botswanan women in traditional church-going dress

Since all nations depend on trade in order to sustain their economies, very few states big or small will want to jeopardize this important relationship with China. Many governments around the world can relate to this sentiment. At the end of the day, a leader of any country will have to prioritize their country’s interests over other ‘peripheral’ interests like that of Tibet and the Dalai Lama. The fact is that there is no obligation for any country to abide by any particular style of governance, except for the one that benefits them.

Botswana has a strong and varied culture that has existed for thousands of years, including unique forms of dance and art

In light of all this, the recent and very last-minute rejection of Lobsang Sangay of the so-called Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) makes sense. As the President of the CTA (Tibetan exiled leadership based in Dharamsala), this rejection is a huge slap on his face. Even Botswana, a country with a population of just over two million and a GDP equal to some billionaires’ personal incomes, now rejects the Tibetans. Such a rejection should be a wake-up call that fewer and fewer nations and people are going to support the corrupt regime of the CTA. The CTA in Dharamsala has been losing grip on their own Tibetan people’s support as well as the support of many nations around the world, who are realizing that being friends with the Tibetan government in-exile reaps no rewards because they are extremely corrupt.

Even when the CTA talks about honor, integrity, human rights and what is supposedly just, they have scandal after scandal in their day-to-day dealings. With so many scandals of their own to contend with, what tangible benefits can the CTA offer to other nations?

Botswanans have turned their backs on Lobsang Sangay and the Tibetans in favor of China

Of course, there are pockets of people around the world who are fooled by the CTA’s externally-touted ‘noble cause’ when in fact, this cause is actually abused to raise funds which they line their pockets with. This is a truth that everyone is waking up to, even as the CTA continues to cry wolf as many times as they like. The rapid decrease in support for the CTA shows clearly that in the end, every single sane government realizes a healthy relationship with China will tremendously boost their economy. This garners more votes so that these governments can stay in office. After all, politics is about money, power and votes. If you are friends with China, you get more power and you get more money, but when you are friends with the CTA, you lose votes and the voters themselves.

Dalai Lama Protégé Chickens Out
of Botswana Event

Click to enlarge (Source: http://www.thegazette.news/dalai-lama-protege-chickens-out-of-botswana-event/)

Botswana is a landlocked nation in Africa, just north of South Africa. Click to enlarge.

The Zu/’hoasi tribe in the Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana live in one of the most remote wildernesses in Africa

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Australian PM has no plans to meet Dalai Lama 2017

admin1 — Sat, 02 Sep 2017 00:47:35 +0000

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Ashok Rao

The Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has decided not to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama during a visit by the Tibetan leader in 2017. This is not a surprise because there is a growing trend amongst the world’s nations in realizing that it is bad to be seen with the Tibetan leadership (CTA; Central Tibetan Administration). Continuing with his track record of never meeting with the religious leader, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has chosen to increase ties with China instead. And rightly so.

Why would a leader pander to Tibetan sympathies when he could make real progress in improving the lives of his own people and securing ties that could lead to years of economic stability for his country?
Others such as the US State Department denounce China for a lack of human rights in Tibet. However, the US State Department do not police the world and other nations are under no obligation to accept their decision of who commits human rights infringements or not. In fact the USA needs to take a good look at their own history and continuing violation of human rights against their own citizens of color. The recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia clearly shows that the USA has not come to terms with civil, human and cultural rights infringements perpetrated on its own people. So why should they get to pass judgement on others?
But this issue is more than just about politics or equality, it is about the waning of the CTA’s power and prestige that they once held within the international community. As a leadership supposedly based on Buddhist principles, they should realize that this is their karma coming back to wreak its chaotic vengeance for all the years of corruption, financial mismanagement, and schism-making within their own community to retain their own political power and wealth. They even steep so low as to use religion to keep their people separated, such as the divisive ban on the Dharma protector Dorje Shugden, or even their silence on the forced conversion of the Kagyus. They line their pockets with blood-stained money gained from the blatant use of the tragic self-immolations of their own people for financial gain, or even deny their people the very same rights that they themselves enjoy, such as Indian or foreign nationality.
All the while the Tibetans maintain a sense of entitlement, but what does Australia owe them? The Tibetans have not done anything for the great country of Australia. So why should Australia even bother about the Tibetans? What does any other country owe them, including India and Nepal, where they have built their homes but do not contribute back to repay the kindness of their host countries? They left their country 60 years ago to start their lives anew away from China, which was their right. You would have thought they would have integrated into their host countries by now and be citizens that make their own way in life rather than living off a sense of entitlement and expectation.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s actions add to the growth of indifference towards the Tibetan people and their supposed cause. This indifference is not due to something negative on the part of these countries such as Switzerland, Italy, Sweden or South Africa, who have outright rejected the Tibetans. Rather it is due to a sense of purpose in providing for their own people from an economic standpoint, by creating closer ties with China. Or perhaps even the understanding that the Tibetans are not worth the trouble caused, because of their lack of involvement within their host country’s affairs. When the CTA feel the full brunt of their negative karma, perhaps then they will finally realize the role their ineptitude played in rendering the Tibetan cause an utterly hopeless one.

Australian PM has no plans to meet Dalai Lama as China warns

Click to read the full report. Source: https://www.tibetsun.com/news/2017/08/31/australian-pm-has-no-plans-to-meet-dalai-lama-as-china-warns

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Switzerland rejects the Tibetans again

admin — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 21:31:01 +0000

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Kay Beswick

The Tibetans have experienced yet another blow to the exiled community as the Swiss leadership has rejected the asylum applications of 300 Tibetans and decided that they need to leave the country. This famously neutral European nation’s turnaround on Tibet has taken many observers by surprise. Even the original article on Phayul.com that announced this news (see below) states that Switzerland has “a healthy record in providing asylum to Tibetan refugees”. So what changed the Swiss leadership’s mind? These are the salient points important for everyone to remember:

Switzerland first announced in February 2017 that they view Tibetans as Chinese citizens. This followed an incident whereby a Tibetan woman, Yangdon Chorasherpa, was deported from Switzerland back to Nepal after she was found to be living in the country seeking asylum with Nepali documentation. First of all, it is illogical how a person can be a refugee and a citizen at the same time. Yangdon is clearly Tibetan and not Nepali, and it is obvious that she gained her Nepali documentation illegally. In doing so, Yangdon broke not just one but two sets of laws. She broke Nepali law for carrying fake documents, and Swiss law for entering the country and seeking asylum under false pretenses, using illegally-obtained documents. So while it is a sad affair that she is currently in prison, it is hardly Switzerland’s fault for her predicament. It is therefore not logical for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership) and their supporters blame this deportation on Switzerland being pro-China. Blaming the Swiss in this way is overly simplistic. Who actually bears the responsibility for this episode, the Swiss who were only enforcing their pre-existing laws against illegal migrants? Or the Tibetan leadership who failed in their duties to provide legitimate travel papers for their community and drove them to such desperate measures?
It is time for the Tibetans to stop judging the whole world through the lens of what is pro- or anti-China. The Swiss rejection of asylum seekers has been decried by the Tibetans as a pro-China policy. But why does it have to be a pro-China policy? Why can it not be pro-Swiss, and viewed as the Swiss government taking steps to protect their Swiss citizens’ interests, and prevent them from further exploitation by the Tibetan leadership? The fact is that the Swiss, and indeed the world, do not owe anything to the Tibetans. Switzerland has every right to their own laws and policies, and they also have every right to determine who they wish to allow in to Switzerland and who they reject.
The Tibetan leadership always insists that external parties have no right to comment on their policies because they are not Tibetan. Similarly, the Tibetans therefore should have no right to comment on Swiss policies. Whatever policy the Swiss decides upon for their country is none of the Tibetan leadership’s business; the Swiss leadership are not accountable to anyone except for their Swiss citizens and do not have to answer to anyone. Again, the Swiss leadership and the rest of the world owes nothing to the Tibetan leadership, who have received billions in financial help and support for 60 years and now, without basis, feel entitled to it. What right do the Tibetan leadership have to demand anything from anyone, when they have contributed very little to their adopted countries? What has the Tibetan leadership done for or contributed to the world to deserve the amount of help they have received?
From the side of the Tibetan leadership, it appears not much has been done to stave off this change of Swiss policy. While Lobsang Sangye focuses his efforts raising funds in North America, his people continue to be rejected all over the world. If he has to travel, why is he not spending more time in Switzerland to try and change the leadership’s attitude and policies towards Tibetan refugees? Are dollars for his wallet more important than the welfare of his people?

The message from the CTA is clear – if you are in trouble, the CTA can and will do nothing to help, and they will leave their people to suffer. And not only are they are unable to provide travel documentation for them, they will even sabotage their people who try to get legitimate papers. And so now this has taken place with Switzerland, what is the next step? The CTA’s plans for Tibetans who are going to be deported or denied entry into Switzerland have not been made clear. Yet again they are silent when their people need them the most, and when their international standing has taken a nosedive.

For too long the CTA’s silence has led to the Tibetan people’s suffering. Their silence over self-immolations have led to more Tibetans senselessly killing themselves; their silence over the Dorje Shugden issue has encouraged Tibetans to violently discriminate against Shugden practitioners for over 20 years. Similarly, their silence over the Karmapa issue has seen the perpetuation of a disturbing split in the Karma Kagyu tradition, while they have remained silent over the Jonangpas’ push for equal representation in the parliament.

Yet, the Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangye will be very vocal and visible when funds are involved. That is something the Tibetan public and their supporters need to be wary of. The CTA are vocal when it impacts their financial bottom-line, but nowhere to be seen when it concerns their people’s physical wellbeing and the world’s relationship with them. So are the Tibetan leadership acting in their people’s best interests or their own? It is becoming increasingly clear what it is that the CTA values and sad to say, it will always be money and never will be the welfare, wellbeing and future of their people.

Leave the country, Swiss officials tell hundreds of Tibetans ineligible for asylum

Click to read the full report. (Source: http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=39475)

Tibetan woman deported by Switzerland jailed in Nepal

Click to read the full report. (Source: http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=38707)

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Tibetans rejected by Bhutan

admin — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 21:20:51 +0000

The Kingdom of Bhutan rejected the Tibetans back in 1979. Click to enlarge.

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Solaray Kusco

Of the four modern day countries that border with historical Tibet – India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar – Bhutan has always been traditionally closely associated with Tibet. Both have Buddhism as their main religion, rely on the same writing script developed by Thonmi Sambhota, and the Bhutanese and Tibetans share many of the same saints, form of worship, foods, customs and even architectural styles as one another. Someone who is familiar with Tibetans would feel very at home and familiar in Bhutan.

So on paper and in theory, one would be forgiven for assuming that the Bhutanese are the Tibetans’ biggest supporters. After all, why would two brothers in Central Asia with so many commonalities, struggle to find reasons to be supportive of each other? To be anything other than supportive seems almost inconceivable.

Yet, as we dig deeper into the issues of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership), we can see clearly why support has not been forthcoming by the Bhutanese to the Tibetans. For the last 60 years, the CTA’s selfishness and schemes, and sense of entitlement have led a close ‘relative’ to effectively reject them since the 1980s.

King Jigme Singe Wangchuck introduced many modern reforms to Bhutan. He even used his absolute power as a monarch to force democracy on his adoring people, before abdicating the throne in favor of his son King Jigme Khesar, whom he is seen here crowning. In 1974, 28 Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama’s representative to Bhutan, were arrested for conspiring to assassinate Bhutan’s respected and forward-thinking king. No wonder Bhutan eventually came to reject the Tibetans.

In 1979, the Bhutanese government issued the Tibetans in their country with an ultimatum: become Bhutanese or go back to China. This came after 28 Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama’s representative in Thimphu (Bhutan’s capital) were arrested and accused of conspiring to assassinate Bhutan’s beloved King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. It also followed after tensions had grown between the Tibetan refugees and the local Bhutanese who were understandably upset by the Tibetans’ refusal to assimilate into Bhutanese culture.

Although the government’s move seemed harsh at the time, we now know from history that this decision was fueled by some incredible foresight, because the government knew that allowing Tibetans to remain Tibetans would:

Allow them to engage in constant protests for the ‘Tibetan cause’ which would be disruptive to Bhutan’s peace and own drive towards modernization and improvement
Encourage them to remain ostracized from the Bhutanese population, and therefore suffer resentment and discrimination for being refugees

By giving Tibetans the option of becoming Bhutanese, it would instead:

Encourage them to be assimilated into Bhutanese society so they would have legal access and rights to all of the services and economic potential that every Bhutanese has a right to
Ensure that their kingdom would remain peaceful and avoid all of the disagreements and conflicts that India and Nepal had to struggle with in the succeeding years
Ensure that Tibetans who remained in the country would become contributing members of their society and economy, and become less reliant on hand-outs
Take the “Tibetan refugee” situation out of the equation in any of their dealings with China, and allow them to remain focused on developing their country holistically

Shockingly however, the CTA at the time opposed this ultimatum by the Bhutanese government who had already kindly given refuge to 4000 Tibetan refugees. CTA officials were even accused of creating difficulties for the Tibetans refugees in Bhutan, although these Bhutan-based Tibetans had already accepted that Bhutan was the country of their future. It is a move that was echoed 38 years later when, in 2017, Tibetans were given the opportunity to become Indian citizens but the CTA made moves to sabotage it. The CTA clearly have a pattern of acting against their people’s own best interests.

And in spite of the CTA’s opposition to Bhutan, 2,300 Tibetans did opt to become Bhutanese citizens while the remainder resettled in India where they continue to live under the yoke of the CTA. And since that time, Bhutan has remained silent on the issue of Tibet and scarred from their experiences in the 1970s, it looks like they will continue to do so. So just add Bhutan to the list of countries who have rejected the Tibetans, as the CTA are increasingly disfavored around the world and sadly, they fail to take into account how much the world does not need them. In befriending, supporting and donating to the Tibetan leadership, what do the world get except for the feel-good factor, and a pat on the back for having helped the less fortunate? In befriending and supporting China, nations get jobs, a more vibrant economy and a boosted tourist industry.

The green line on the map delineates historical Tibet, while the countries in grey below are those which border with them. Except for India, whose support is already waning, none of the countries which border with historical Tibet support their “Tibetan cause”. Meanwhile, instead of focusing on the welfare of their people in India, the Tibetan leaders gallivant around the world on the pretext of drumming up support. What support have they accomplished when no one in their region will stand up for them?

So what do the CTA have that anybody really wants? Not much. They are like a door-to-door salesman you made the mistake of opening your front door to; he will just keep coming back over and over again because he knows someone he can make a sale to, and squeeze money from. But while the CTA has focused on traveling the world to make this sale so they can accumulate financial support and not much else, China has been focused on Tibet’s doorstep, courting the border countries and locking down their support in order to ensure that they remain in control of the situation. As a result, aside from India, none of the other countries sharing a common border with historical Tibet have lent their support to the Tibetan cause – Myanmar remains supportive of China’s policies, as are Nepal and eventually Bhutan.

So is the CTA’s policy working? It is a firm and resolute ‘no’, and it is obvious to see when you compare the successes of the Bhutanese with that of the CTA. While Bhutan is lauded as an internationally recognized and shining example of a “people and environment first” government policy, the CTA is famous for being refugees. Since entering exile in 1959, the CTA has become a dab hand at offending, rejecting and befriending all of the wrong people. They continuously offend and protest against the Chinese leadership who controls Tibet; they befriend the West who will not do anything except give pocket change, and they reject and abuse the people who have been kind to them, like India and Bhutan.

They even reject and abuse their own people, regardless of where in the world they are – just as Bhutan accused the Tibetan leadership of making life difficult for Bhutanese-based Tibetans, the CTA have also been accused of making life difficult for marginalized groups like Dorje Shugden practitioners and the Jonangpas who have been fighting for equal representation in the Tibetan parliament. So 60 years in exile has resulted in a leadership that has failed to garner firm and decisive political support for their goals, and failed to provide a decent future for their people. If the CTA continues down this path, Bhutan will not be the last nation that rejects them until one day finally, there will be no one and nothing left but disappointments.

Bhutan: Tibetan Tangle

Click to read the full report. (Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bhutanese-government-says-political-ties-between-tibetans-and-dharamsala-unacceptable/1/427120.html)

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Tibetans rejected by Nepal

admin1 — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 23:52:07 +0000

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Tsering Bruckman

In an unprecedented move back in 2005, the Nepali authorities shut down two key offices associated with the Dalai Lama in the country’s capital city, Kathmandu. It was a decision that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; Tibetan leadership) did not expect and it came as a shock to them. When both the Office of the Dalai Lama’s Representative and the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office were closed, it caused a huge setback for Tibetans trying to cross over to India. Both offices had been informally used as reception centers for Tibetan refugees arriving from Tibet, but neither had been sanctioned to operate. For many years, Nepali authorities had closed one eye to their activities, allowing them to continue until finally, they received some impetus to shut down the operations. It was a decision that presented a hindrance for the CTA, who had already been making futile attempts to maintain a presence in a country that does not recognize their authority.

Ex-Prime Minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, reiterated Nepal’s pro-China stance in November 2016. It is clear that Nepal has not changed its stance towards the Tibetans over the years.

Although the reason cited was that both offices had not registered their activities under Nepali law, it was obvious to everyone that Nepal’s real reason for their closure was a desire for a closer relationship with China. To many people in Nepal, the decision was a no-brainer. For a country of Nepal’s size and limited economic prospects, it was logical for them to align with their gigantic neighbor, who would be able to offer them opportunities and the potential to better their country. China would be able to invest in infrastructure, creating jobs for local Nepalis, and a closer relationship would invariably encourage Chinese tourists to visit Nepal, thus creating an influx of much-needed foreign currency. By comparison, a better relationship with the CTA would not result in anything anywhere near as beneficial or attractive for the Nepalis.

For over 60 years now, Tibetan refugees have streamed into Nepal as they leave the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Some go on to India and the many Tibetan settlements there, but many remain in Nepal. For those who stayed in Nepal, the majority of them made use of the country’s thriving tourist industry to create a livelihood for themselves but being undocumented and refugees, they never paid taxes. Instead, they retained every penny they earned and channeled these towards their own personal projects and large Buddhist monasteries where even more financial assistance could be received from faithful pilgrims making copious offerings. This was something that many local Nepalis were very upset about and in fact, 11 years later, their complaints would be proven valid when a close associate of the Dalai Lama was caught up in a money laundering scandal. Phakchok Rinpoche was accused of using the 2015 Nepal earthquake to raise funds for victims, but never actually transferring the funds to them. It resulted in the Nepali authorities seizing NPR15 crores (approx. US$1.4mil) from his bank accounts.

So the government had to do something to address rising tensions between the Tibetans and Nepalis, with local Nepalis accusing the Tibetans of taking advantage and not giving anything back to the country. The decision they made was to close the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office in Kathmandu, which previously furnished new refugees with paperwork to stay in Nepal or go to India. Since then, Nepal has also tightened its borders and as a result, without Nepal as a way-station, there has been a dramatic decline in the number of new arrivals from Tibet. Tibetans wishing to enter into exile have been forced to leave Tibet via another country.

Because the Nepali government recognizes that Tibet is a part of China, the country has in general taken an increasingly hardline approach towards Tibetan refugees. The authorities have clamped down on Tibetans protesting against China, or any other form of anti-China activity on its sovereign soil; annual March 10 independence protests for example, have had to take place without permits and have been met with a heavy police presence. In short, because Nepal (like many other countries) wants to be friends with China, it does not bode well for the Tibetan leadership. And Nepal is not alone in their desire to form a closer relationship with China. Theirs is part of a growing trend, mirrored by countries all over the world, who now consider it bad to be seen with the Tibetan leadership in light of China’s growing economic and political power.

It is clear that the Tibetan leadership are being rejected on political and economic grounds, and at the same time many ordinary Tibetans are now also rejecting the leadership for taking advantage of their people for financial gain and nothing more. From anger over the leadership blocking Tibetans from becoming Indian citizens, double standards, allegations of murder, corruption and financial mismanagement, forced conversions with the Kagyu tradition or the divisive and at times violent ban on Dorje Shugden, the Tibetan leadership are now being rejected by their own people. As their influence wanes due to their ineffectiveness, how long will it be before the Tibetan leadership falls into irrelevance?

Nepal closes Dalai Lama’s office in Kathmandu

Click to read the full report. (Source: http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=8923)

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Tibetans rejected by Pakistan

admin — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 19:01:53 +0000

Pakistan has expressed their outright support for China on all matters, including Tibet, and there is very little chance of them changing their minds.

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Kay Beswick

There is more disappointing news for the Sikyong Lobsang Sangye as he embarks on yet another tour of America to curry favor with the West and raise funds supposedly for the Tibetan community, but in actuality for his own financial gain. In recent times, there has been a growing body of criticism about the Sikyong’s frequent travels, and how little time he spends in Dharamsala dealing with the issues of his people.

A comment left by a former Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) employee explaining that Sikyong Lobsang Sangye’s reasons for traveling are not benign and altruistic, but self-serving and nefarious. Click to enlarge.

One also cannot help but wonder if this trip is some form of damage control as the Tibetan leadership’s reputation is increasingly left in tatters. As the Sikyong departs for the United States, he leaves behind an exiled community in India who are more isolated than ever as yet another country with a potential border claim to Tibet has rejected the Tibetans.

Pakistan, whose disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir borders with historical Tibet, recently announced that China has their full support on many critical issues, including the Tibetan one. President Mamnoon Hussain, the leader of the Pakistan nation, was full of praise for the Chinese leadership for their role in peacekeeping and stability efforts in countries like Afghanistan.

Thus it would seem that in the region, the number of allies that Tibet can count on is rapidly declining, as the people and governments who support them dwindle both in number and in financial contributions. There is in all likelihood no hope for the Tibetans on Pakistan reversing their decision since they are a staunchly Muslim state who are not going to be charmed by an association with the Dalai Lama or swayed by the romanticized concept of Shangri-la.

The salient points to consider are these:

People are clearer in their rejection of the Tibetans, than they are in support of. A nuclear power has openly declared that they will have nothing to do with the Tibetan issue, and they will support China in it. What other country of such power has so clearly voiced their support for Tibet? In the last 60 years, even Tibet’s biggest supporter, the US (another nuclear power), has not been as clear about their support for Tibet as compared to Pakistan’s outright rejection.
Within the region, Pakistan’s role in anti-terror activities is crucial. What country will risk Pakistan’s lack of cooperation on anti-terrorism, a topic that creates universal concern, by pressing for the Tibetan agenda which is minor in comparison? For the rest of the world, China is their economic darling, for their potential as a trading partner and cash cow. And for Pakistan, governments are far more invested in keeping peace and stability in Pakistan than in pushing for them to support the Tibetan cause.
For Pakistan, having China on their side helps strengthen their claims against a common objective i.e. India who themselves are fast realizing that they have very little to gain from Tibetan presence in their country. It has even reached a stage where Tibetan citizens hoping to becoming India are being told to give up their Tibetan refugee papers. To compound this, a recent article penned by an Indian Member of Parliament questioned why the Dalai Lama does nothing to help with the many domestic conflicts and upheavals that are troubling the country.
And for Pakistan, they are not making this decision based on religion or human rights, but purely based on politics and economics. For that reason, there is very little the Tibetans will be able to do to persuade Pakistan not to support an emboldened China on the Tibetan issue, because talk of Buddhism and the Dalai Lama as an international man of peace will not appeal to them. For Pakistan, it is purely about maximizing their economic and political gain in the region, to provide for their population, and there is nothing the Tibetans can offer to replace whatever benefits Pakistan might experience from a positive relationship with China.

As the Tibetan leadership’s pool of international supporters dwindles, internally they continue to perpetuate schism and divisions amongst their own people, for example by interfering in the recognition process of the Karmapas or by directing violence and vulgarities towards Dorje Shugden practitioners. Other leaderships who are logical and facing so much external opposition would ordinarily regroup, and discuss how to encourage harmony and unity amongst their people since there is strength in numbers. But it seems Lobsang Sangye has a bigger preoccupation with raising funds than with the welfare of his people, starting with the senseless loss of lives through self-immolations.

So is there any surprise that the Tibetan leadership is finding less support for themselves, when they do not even support their own people?

This article is not to comment on Indo-Pakistani politics but to highlight that yet another country, regardless of their political leanings, has rejected the Tibetans. As predicted, more and more nations are making plain their lack of support for the Tibetans. If things continue on its current downward spiral, it looks like Sikyong Lobsang Sangye will have to travel more often to placate and charm new sponsors, since fewer people and nations are willing to open their wallets and borders to the Tibetan exiled community. And upon analysis of the greater picture, maybe it is about time too, because 60 years of exploiting their sponsors as well as their host India is really 60 years too much.

Pakistan supports China’s stance on Tibet: President Mamnoon

Click to enlarge. Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1351540

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Tibetans rejected by Sweden

ashrao — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 18:16:12 +0000

Sweden no longer accepts the Tibetan Identity Certificate, also known as the Yellow Book, as a valid travel document.

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Ashok Rao

In a move that is beginning to be mirrored by many others, Sweden announced in June 2016 that it no longer accepts the Tibetan Yellow Book as a valid travel document. This document, officially known as an Identity Certificate (IC), issued by the government of India, classifies its holder as both a Tibetan refugee and a protectorate of India. It is this document that Tibetans travelling abroad use to entreat foreign countries to allow them to enter. This move by Sweden has sent reverberations throughout the Tibetan community in exile and indicates a global shift within international politics.

With a population of over 100 Tibetan refugees living in the country, Sweden has become weary of refugees, especially due to the situation in Europe and the Middle East which has seen a marked increase in the number of those seeking refuge in more developed countries. For this reason Sweden issued an official announcement that it would no longer accept the IC travel document in its processes allowing Tibetans to enter its borders. Tibetans wishing to enter Sweden will have to bear the identity documentation of an actual nation, like India or China. This means that Sweden no longer wants Tibetans to enter their country as Tibetans and as refugees; in effect, Sweden no longer recognizes the existence of a status such as “Tibetan refugee”.

An infographic used to announce that Sweden no longer accepts the Yellow Book as a valid form of identification that can be used during the visa application process.

One would assume that Sweden somehow would not have the right to turn down the Tibetan IC as a valid travel document, but in actuality this is not the case. Legally speaking, the Yellow Book has little weight outside of India’s borders and it is the discretion of any country whether they wish to accept it as a valid form of identification. The fact that Sweden can reject the Yellow Book harks back to the fact that India itself does not have a clear policy when it comes to refugees. India is not a signatory of the Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, or the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, all of which are international programmes that protect the rights of refugees, including their freedom to travel.

Since India does not belong to any of the above, the IC granted to Tibetans in exile does not have weight outside of its own borders, and legally does not need to be recognized as refugee travel documents. In this case, Sweden has simply exercised its legal rights to stop accepting the Tibetan IC as a valid travel document. Hence, no other nation state has challenged Sweden over its actions because they have no legal basis to do so. Certainly, aside from protesting Sweden’s actions, the Tibetan leadership can do very little to protect their people’s ability to visit Sweden.

The fact is that Sweden and other countries that have so far allowed Tibetans to enter their borders have done so out of kindness, and not legal obligation. Now, however, it seems the tide is turning, and many countries no longer want someone who identifies as ‘Tibetan’ within their borders. Tibetans can still enter their countries, just not as Tibetan ‘citizens’ or refugees. But this begs the question, why is it that they have implemented this change now?

One could argue that Sweden is simply reacting to events in Europe, with an increased number of those seeking refuge coming from all over the world. The number of refugees means resources allocated to the refugees are being stretched thin, and there is a strain on relationships between the host countries’ citizens and their newly-arrived guests. When Sweden’s actions are examined on a global scale however, it is quite clear that there is a political shift away from supporting Tibetans. This is evident by the number of countries who are surely but steadily distancing themselves from the Tibetans and their leadership, in favor of aligning themselves with China. It is a global trend that looks bleak for the Tibetan leadership indeed.

On the one hand there is this political distancing from the Tibetans and their leadership and on the other hand, many ordinary Tibetans, Tibetan Buddhists or Tibet enthusiasts from all around the world are waking up to the fact that the Tibetan leadership have done nothing but take advantage of their position and mismanaged their people. From the ban on Dorje Shugden, the unequal treatment of the Jonangpas, or their silence over forced conversions in the Kagyu school, the leadership have magnificently displayed their inability to govern and their blunderous mistakes. As their true colours are laid bare, they can do nothing but hide behind the skirts of their previous saviour, India.

However, India as the government who issues the Tibetan IC remains strangely silent on these issues. They have also done nothing to strengthen or legitimize the status of the Tibetans as legal refugees in the eyes of other nation states. Instead, India has offered them the choice to become full citizens of India if they give up their Tibetan identity. With so much apathy towards the Tibetans’ ability to travel, and even growing hostility towards their presence, one can only wonder as to the fate Tibetans will face in the years to come.

Sweden Does Not Accept India’s Tibetan Travel Document ‘IC’

Article describing Sweden no longer accepting the Tibetan IC on Tibetan Journal. Click to enlarge.

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Tibetans rejected by Italy

admin — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 15:15:49 +0000

Both Italy (top flag) and Switzerland (bottom flag) have rejected the Tibetans, as well as Sweden in a much earlier ruling in June 2016. Which country will the Tibetans next face rejection from? As the years pass by, it becomes increasingly harder for the Tibetans to travel, with fewer and fewer countries willing to risk their economic relationships with China for the sake of the Tibetan community.

By: Kay Beswick

One by one, the world’s nations are dissociating with the Tibetan leadership. On June 28, 2016 Swedish authorities announced a change in regulations, saying that they no longer accepted the Tibetan Identity Certificate as a valid identification document. The Identity Certificate, popularly known as the Yellow Book thanks to its cover, is issued by the Indian government. It identifies the bearer as a Tibetan refugee and protectorate of India, and requests immigration at the traveler’s destination to allow the bearer to enter the country.

This news came as a shock to the Tibetan community because without the Identity Certificate, and without any other identification documentation, they would not be allowed to apply for a visa to enter Sweden. This was swiftly followed by Switzerland’s announcement in July 2016 that they had revised their immigration policy, and that Switzerland no longer recognized “Tibetan” as a valid nationality. The ruling specifically concerned the Yellow Book, which Switzerland also announced would no longer be accepted as a valid identification document. Tibetans in Switzerland were also asked to change their nationality to “Chinese”. With more than 4,000 Tibetans living in Switzerland, they are the largest exile community in Europe so Switzerland’s change in policy was a real blow.

The infographic used by the Voice of America to announce that Sweden no longer accepted the Yellow Book as a valid form of identification that can be used during the visa application process.

Later in the same year, in December 2016, news came that Mongolia had banned the Dalai Lama, after a highly publicized but unpopular visit to the Buddhist nation. And now the latest news is that on May 18, 2017, Italy has followed in Sweden and Switzerland’s footsteps. After the Italian Consulate in Mumbai, India stopped accepting applications from Tibetans for an Italian visa, it was swiftly followed by the consulate in Delhi stopping too. Both consulates had done so upon orders from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome, Italy. Just like Sweden and Switzerland, Italy has stopped accepting the Yellow Book as a valid identity document.

Even India themselves, do not appear to be interested in applying effort to maintain the refugee privileges of carrying a Yellow Book. This is hardly surprising considering India does not benefit in any way for sticking up for the Tibetan Yellow Book. Given the current climate, it seems logical that in order for Tibetans to have unrestricted freedom to travel, the best would be for them to get an Indian passport. Yet, a recent court ruling decreed that any Tibetan who wants an Indian passport, must give up their Yellow Book (i.e. their Tibetan citizenship) because it is illegal in Indian law to have dual citizenship. Tibetans wishing to get an Indian passport must also move out of the Tibetan settlements since they will no longer be considered a refugee.

Lobsang Wangyal, a Tibetan journalist and social entrepreneur, was the first Tibetan to get an Indian passport, having met the requirements set by the Indian government.

If the Yellow Book were that precious, and if the Indian government was that interested in maintaining the Yellow Book, they could have made some sort of exception for the Tibetan refugees to carry both. Yet the Indian government have created a situation whereby, over time and frustrated by their lack of ability to travel, Tibetans will be forced to give up their Tibetan citizenship, carry an Indian passport and assimilate into the general population in India.

And so now we come to this point on the road – Sweden, Switzerland and Italy have stopped recognizing the Yellow Book as valid identification, and India is pressing for Tibetans to give it up.

It is indeed strange that after 30 years, Switzerland and Italy have both suddenly stopped recognizing the Yellow Book’s validity. Both countries have traditionally had a good relationship with Tibetan refugees; as noted, Switzerland has the largest exile community in Europe, while Italy is home to many lamas and masters who have their Buddhist organizations and centres headquartered there. So what changed in the last 30 years that led to this outcome?

The only logical answer is the rise of China, and its ongoing dominance as a global economic and political powerhouse. As an increasing number of countries come to this realization, only time will tell what Tibetans will decide to do. History has shown that nations have not erred on the side of Tibet, preferring instead to work with China for the benefit of their own economies. Indeed the news of Italy rejecting the Yellow Book could not come at a worse time for the Tibetan leadership who now not only have to deal with a fallout with the US, but now with Europe too.

Over in the US, President Donald Trump has slashed the amount of financial aid to the Tibetan leadership to zero. While Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and various other media personalities campaign to reverse this, over in Europe the European Central Bank (ECB) has converted a part of their US dollar reserves to the Chinese yuan. It is a move that economic analysts have said indicates the ECB’s faith in the Chinese economy as well as their dependency on it.

Then at a grassroots level, Chinese citizens continue to gain visa-free travel to an increasing list of countries. Visa-free travel suggests that these nations are very keen to attract Chinese tourists and foreign currency, and they want to make it as easy as possible for the Chinese to visit their countries. In the meantime, Tibetans find that their freedom to travel on the Yellow Book is slowly being eroded, even by India herself. Unlike the Chinese passport which is gaining in value, the Tibetan passport (a.k.a. the Yellow Book) is rapidly declining in value.

After years and years of corruption, money laundering, visa-for-money schemes, double standards, embezzlement, financial mismanagement, wasted foreign aid, suppression of free speech, prejudice against the Jonangpas, silence over the troubles faced by the Kagyus (like the Karmapa issue and the associated violence), abuse of donors’ funds, unethical elections, intimidation of political opponents, as well as rejecting Dorje Shugden practitioners, ostracizing them and violently discriminating against them, it unfortunately appears that the Tibetan leadership’s karma is swiftly catching up. Which country is next? Who will next step up and say they no longer accept “Tibetan” as a valid nationality, and the Yellow Book as a valid identification document? If this trend continues, and if the Tibetan leadership do not wake up soon, it will not be long before they find that they are banging on closed doors which will never open for them ever again.

The Petition Calling for the Italian Government to Accept Tibetan Applicants for Italian Visas

The petition that has been started to pressure the Italian Embassy in Mumbai to reverse their decision. Click to enlarge.

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Give up the Tibetan cause, get an Indian passport

ashrao — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 16:39:50 +0000

All Tibetans in exile in India need an Identity Certificate (Yellow Book) issued by the Indian Government declaring their refugee status with limited rights for purposes of travel. Ethnic Tibetans with an Indian passport however, are accorded the same rights as every other Indian citizen.

The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to ds@dorjeshugden.com.

By: Solaray Kusco

The Tibetans in-exile seem to be heading towards obsolescence. For some time now, there has been an Indian law in place making it legal for those of Tibetan descent born between January 1950 and July 1987, to hold Indian passports which by default makes them Indian citizens. That law has recently been tested in the Indian courts and has become precedent. Many Tibetans are flocking to become Indian nationals and to enjoy the rights of a free and democratic country.

Click to read the full report

In 1959, India graciously accepted the influx of Tibetan refugees and granted them a 99-year lease on 24 tracts of land throughout India on the condition that they remain there as refugees. As refugees without any legal rights, the Indian government sought to ease the difficult conditions faced by the refugees by granting them protectorate status as well, allowing them to travel outside of their 24 Tibetan settlements (this number could have changed by now) and internationally.

However, in order for a Tibetan to enter or leave these settlements, they must register their movements at local police stations and Tibetan refugees travelling within India and abroad must first have the relevant travelling papers, or Identity Card (‘yellow book’) issued by the Indian government. This in turn is on the condition that they have a proper registration certificate issued by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) which they must renew, and this is where the challenge is, because the CTA is notorious for denying their own people the necessary documents if they are found not to toe the CTA line or simply because they have opinions that are different to those of the Tibetan leadership. The Tibetan Dorje Shugden followers have suffered greatly in this respect. All these unwritten and arbitrary rules make life very difficult for a people who are already handicapped by being stateless.

While the Tibetan people welcome the move by the Indian government to grant Indian passports and hence citizenship to those who qualify, they are strangely offended by the conditions imposed. In essence, once a Tibetan is granted an Indian passport he can no longer retain his Tibetan identity documents which comes with some entitlements such as being able to live in the Tibetan settlements. This has led some Tibetans such as Lobsang Wangyal of the Tibet Sun to voice their discontent. According to the stipulations being enforced by the Indian government, a Tibetan candidate for an Indian passport must, in effect, give up his or her rights as a Tibetan refugee (such as being able to live in the settlements, rights to subsidies, and foreign scholarships), a move which would in practice integrate them into Indian society with all the benefits thereof.

The move towards Indian citizenship hails more rights for Tibetans, not a loss of their culture

It is strange that the Tibetans should feel aggrieved by the Indian government’s conditions but why would the Indian government allow a Tibetan to be an Indian national and a Tibetan refugee at the same time? Which government in the world can allow that and how is that even possible?

This situation has raised a number of interesting points for all to consider:

Why Tibetans want Indian citizenship

To have Indian citizenship is attractive to Tibetan refugees as it would immediately remove a multitude of problems they are presently facing – ease of travel, qualification for gainful employment and common ground to engage with Indian society where they have lived in exile for decades.

The wish to become lawful citizens. Currently, under the CTA, Tibetans are in stateless limbo, without a valid identity and with very limited entitlements, and no protection from the United Nations and other international bodies.
The wish to travel freely. Tibetans are completely dependent on an archaic and indiscriminate CTA system for their travel papers which is difficult to obtain. And even after complying with strenuous conditions that proper citizens of nations enjoy casually, it is still troublesome for them to travel freely and some countries such Sweden even reject the validity of the Tibetan travel document.
The wish to own property. Given their refugee status, Tibetans are not allowed to own property of any kind and hence do not enjoy security.
The wish for financial security. Unlike Indian citizens, Tibetans are denied this opportunity to explore business and career opportunities in order to secure a future for themselves and their family.
To mitigate lost hope. The Tibetans have given up on their leaders after decades of false hopes, broken promises and what is at best superficial efforts by the CTA to improve their quality of life. The CTA politicians on the other hand do not suffer the same fate as those who depend on them.
Familiarity with India. After six decades, older generation Tibetans have acclimatized to the new life whilst the younger generations have no concept of life in Tibet. India is home to them.
Fees to live abroad. Many Tibetans would like to emigrate abroad to places like Japan and the USA. But the extortionate fees charged by agents who arrange visas for Tibetans, who then claim political asylum as soon as they arrive at their destination, are beyond the means of an average Tibetan. Charged anywhere between Rs.800,000 – Rs.1,100,000 (roughly USD12,000- USD17,000), only Tibetans who have access to significant funding, like CTA officials, have any hope of making it to another country and once there, claiming political asylum that usually leads to full citizenship.

Comments left on the Tibet Sun article show that Tibetans endorse giving up Tibetan identity if they choose to become Indian citizens. Click to enlarge.

Even Tibetans in McLeod Ganj, the heart of Dharamsala, know the difficulties in getting an Identify Certificate, and would rather have an Indian passport. Click to enlarge.

Why Tibetans having Indian citizenship damages the CTA

Every single Tibetan deciding on Indian citizenship undermines the already shaky standing of the CTA. In the final analysis, the CTA has nothing to offer except well-worn pipe dreams.

The CTA would have less influence. When a Tibetan becomes an Indian citizen, he is free of the binds of the CTA’s harmful and extremely oppressive policies. The CTA will lose control of the Tibetan people who will now be protected by Indian law and be entitled to all privileges available to citizens of India. And as the Tibetan person’s quality of life as an Indian national improves, he is less likely to pay any heed to the CTA’s old rhetoric.
Reduced aid from abroad. The CTA has survived purely on handouts given by well-meaning countries and groups who are concerned about the welfare of the Tibetan people. Therefore if the Tibetan people are no longer stuck in a hapless situation, the need for these funds should correspondingly reduce and hence the justification for the CTA to ask for money diminishes. The CTA’s unquestioned, unaudited, unmarked gravy train would slow down and then stop altogether. It becomes much harder for the CTA to get money especially now when doubts about where the money has been going begin to emerge. The CTA leaders are well-known by the Tibetans to be highly corrupt.
Accelerates the end of the ‘Tibetan Cause’. The CTA relies on the fact that the Tibetan people have no country to call home. If Tibetans take up citizenship in India, they now do have a country – India. They are no longer stateless, and fighting for their lost country of Tibet would not make sense, thus losing sympathy votes for aid, free money, and handouts. And the Tibetans on the whole are a master in putting on a good show for a handout. After all, what legitimate citizen of a nation, even if naturalized, can claim for help from other nations? Support yourself.
CTA’s inadequacies become obvious – Opportunities and Education. Being an Indian citizen opens up many new opportunities for the erstwhile Tibetan refugee, and paves the way for a better life. This would highlight the CTA’s negligence and incapacities, and overall disinterest in helping their community.
Loss of identity. Becoming Indian citizens would mean the first step of Tibetans assimilating into Indian culture, much like Tibetans who migrated to Nepal centuries ago and are no longer distinguishable from the local Nepalese culture. With the loss of Tibetan identity, there is also less of a reason to fight for Tibet. This is not a unique experience; any refugee who is naturalized becomes a part of that nation in spirit, guarding the laws, and becoming a integrated member of that country’s society. So their loyalties for the nation they have left would fade away in time as new generations emerge and are born directly into those foreign countries. Therefore, Tibet does become a part of China, not only legally but by virtue of the fact that Tibetans naturalized as citizens elsewhere are less concerned about their country of origin.

It is clear that people believe India to be of more benefit than the CTA. India has done more for the Tibetans than their own government. Click to enlarge.

CTA’s failure towards Tibetans

Given so much Tibetan interest in Indian citizenship, it has to be asked – what made the CTA such a failure that their own people are now looking to become citizens of other countries?

The CTA have accomplished nothing for their people. Despite staged portrayals, the CTA have not done much for its people. The asylum, land and new life that the refugees currently enjoy were bestowed upon them by a benevolent India. The CTA has done very little to improve the people’s livelihood and future. As proof we see how many Tibetans who went into voluntary exile to follow the Tibetan leadership have since emigrated to other countries. Many even decided to return to the Tibet Autonomous Rule under China which is a slap to the CTA. Those who continue to trust the CTA remain poor and dependant. Contrary to prevalent beliefs, the influx of Tibetans seeking refuge in India has significantly lessened. On the whole, Tibetans no longer want to leave Tibet to live in India under the CTA.
No sign of going home. While the CTA have always maintained that their aim is to regain Tibet, over 60 years have passed and there is no sign that this is even possible, or that they are on the right track. Generations of Tibetan lives have been sacrificed. The CTA and many of the exiled Tibetans, although enjoying many benefits in India are still not self-reliant and asking for handouts, which contradicts Tibetans who migrate out of India, who do not ask for handouts. This is clear proof that the CTA has failed, as Tibetan immigrants in other countries do not rely on handouts because they are not under the jurisdiction nor rely on the CTA. Tibetans in the UK, Canada and Japan for example do not ask any government, let alone the Trump administration, for financial help.
Failed approaches. Whether it is rangzen (full independence) or umaylam (meaningful autonomy) the Tibetan cause remains academic as there is no evidence to indicate that the CTA can successfully draw the Chinese government to negotiate because the CTA’s methods continue to be ineffective. Neither have the Tibetan leaders been able to enrol Indian politicians to truly support their campaigns. The CTA fail to realize they should stop courting Western governments and start befriending China. Since the international community accept that Tibet is a part of China, the Tibetan people’s salvation lies in the hands of China itself.
Leased land. The Tibetans are running out of time as India did not give the land to the Tibetans but merely leased it for 99 years. More than half of that lease has been exhausted but still, 30 years remain. In offering Indian citizenship to the Tibetan people with 30 years left on the lease, the Indian government signals its disbelief that the Tibetans will ever regain their country, despite having another three decades available to them. Perhaps, the wise Indian government is preparing the refugee Tibetans for the eventual demise of the Dalai Lama who is the magnet that draws the money from abroad for the CTA to sponge off of. Everyone knows that the financial drawing power for the Tibetan refugees in India is the Dalai Lama, and he is 83 years of age.

Over the last 60 years the CTA have not even secured land for Tibetans after the 99 year lease from India is over. Click to enlarge.

Why staying as refugees does not help the Tibetans

In trusting the CTA, the Tibetan people find themselves having to ask an honest question – what benefit is there to remain Tibetan refugees?

Being refugees means they continue to depend on an illegitimate ‘government’, and to continue to live without democratic rights, and to not be entitled to United Nation protection, to not have real opportunities and also to have a bleak and unsure future given the way the CTA loses global friends and supporters at an alarming rate. The only reason anyone gives consideration or financial aid to the Tibetans is because of the Dalai Lama, and the Dalai Lama will not live forever.
Restricted travel. As China’s influence grows, anything related to CTA becomes taboo and more and more countries will close its doors to Tibetans in exile. Those with a Yellow Book will find it increasingly difficult to enter any country, and the Yellow Book will eventually no longer be considered a legitimate travel document when traveling abroad. It has already been banned in Sweden.
False sense of entitlement. Under the CTA’s poor leadership, some Tibetans have developed the mind-set that they are entitled to handouts rather than have to earn it like everyone else in the world. You see this in the comments made by Tibetans criticizing the Indian government’s policies. This mentality does not augur well for the Tibetan people in a highly competitive and skilled world.

Tibetans consider it reasonable to give up their Tibetan rights to become Indian citizens. It begs the question, if their government was not mismanaging their people, wouldn’t Tibetans rather prefer to stay under the CTA? Click to enlarge.

The suggestion that becoming an Indian citizen means selling out

There is a prevailing sentiment in the Tibetan community that to no longer depend on the CTA and be willing to suffer unnecessarily as a refugee, is to betray the Tibetan cause. But the same standard is not applied to CTA politicians and Tibetan leaders.

Returning to Tibet. If a Tibetan decides to become a naturalized Indian citizen, he is instantly seen as no longer wishing to return to Tibet and hence a traitor who has betrayed the cause. Why is it that in order to safeguard a better life, essentially doing something that the CTA is supposed to be doing but failed, the ordinary Tibetan must be subjected to such abuse? This is how the CTA psychologically controls and abuses its own people.
Stigma. Either way, under the leadership of the CTA, the Tibetan refugee is stigmatized – as a freeloading refugee who refuses to help himself if he does not seek Indian citizenship, or alternatively a traitor if he decides to help himself and become an Indian citizen. The choice however is clear since being a refugee bears legal, regulatory and diplomatic implications whereas being a ‘traitor’ is merely a matter of opinion.
Loss of trust – A fact. Regardless of opinion, the fact that Tibetans are even considering Indian citizenship, even going to court for it, means there is significant loss of faith in the CTA. The threat of being labelled a ‘traitor’ is not even a significant factor as Tibetans are well aware that most CTA officials hold Indian passports and that of other countries. Oddly, instead of directing their frustration at their own hypocritical leaders, Tibetans vent their irritation at the Indian government who are already at considerable disadvantage by hosting the Tibetan refugees for decades, to the ire of China, a powerful neighbour and necessary trade partner. Supporting the Tibetan refugees has proven to be a losing proposition for India.
Betraying His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As much as being a refugee is to deny oneself a range of rights and opportunities, some Tibetans are made to feel that taking Indian citizenship is a direct insult to the Dalai Lama. This in essence is to inflict spiritual suicide for a people who are staunchly religious and superstitious. In addition, if most of the refugees in India are becoming Indian citizens and or citizens of other countries, will the Dalai Lama continue with his Yellow Book or become a naturalized Indian citizen? After all, the Dalai Lama himself is a supposed refugee, but by the looks of how the CTA lives, there is not any semblance of being a genuine refugee.

Strongly-worded reply aimed at Tibetans who have emigrated abroad commenting about what Tibetans living in India should do. Click to enlarge.

Why it is wrong for Tibetans to vent their frustrations at India

The Tibet Sun article and many of the comments therein are directed at the Indian authorities in a negative way. Would it not make more sense to discuss matters with the government in a friendly and polite manner, rather than threaten legal action or make demands? After all, the Indian government has gone beyond the call of duty for the refugees for 60 years, and the Tibetans are still complaining. Ungrateful is an understatement. India provided safe asylum for Tibetan mothers, fathers and families after they fled Tibet. They basically allowed the Tibetans to live on their lands for free, out of the kindness of their hearts, without any preconditions or expectations, for example for taxes to be paid. Making demands of the Indian government does not benefit the Tibetans, especially since as subjects of the CTA, they enjoy no rights within the Indian political system. It also shows why many observers believe that sooner or later, the CTA and Tibetans in exile will lose India’s support.

Nothing in the Indian conditions for passport raises red flags. However, there are some potential reasons why the Indian government may make it difficult for the Tibetans to naturalize easily.

Risk of upsetting China. The Chinese consider Tibetans to be a part of Tibet, therefore giving Indian citizenship may be viewed as an assault on the sovereignty of their people. The Tibetans have become the bane of political stability within the region.
Since the CTA exists, Tibetans do not really need or want citizenship. The existence of the CTA and the Tibetan people’s support for their “government” in exile can be taken to mean that the Tibetans already regard themselves as citizens of a defunct Tibetan nation regardless of the fact that the CTA is a government with no country.
An insult to India. It is well-known that Tibetans travel to other countries and naturalize there. This could be seen as an insult, that they do not see India as a worthy country to which they would want to belong. India has granted them so much over the last 60 years, asking nothing in return, yet Tibetans repay this kindness by emigrating to other countries, or complaining that the Indian government is unfair in its stipulations for citizenship, as stated in the article. In fact, the stipulations to become naturalized are simple and fair. The Tibetans again want the easy way out, a free hand – citizenship with no conditions.
To ensure Tibetans really want to become Indian. A harder process may be India’s way of gauging the Tibetan applicant’s commitment to become a citizen. After all, a citizen cannot be loyal to two separate countries.
To force Tibetans to return to China. India may not even really want an influx of Tibetans as Indian citizens. After all, the Tibetans have contributed little to India in almost 60 years and to do more for the Tibetan people could strain Sino-Indian relations. Instead, India may be giving the Tibetan people reasons to return to Tibet as many have recently.
Souring diplomatic relations. The CTA have failed to successfully advance diplomatic relations with India since the time of Prime Minster Nehru, giving little reasons for India to go out on more of a limb for the Tibetan people. In fact, the Tibetans create more tensions to prevent Sino-Indian relations from normalizing. Tibetans in exile are in fact happy when Sino-Indian relations are strained because they see it as a benefit to themselves. They never consider the benefits of their kind host country of India. If Sino-Indian relations normalize and become friendly, it would benefit over 1 billion Indians, as well as stabilize Asia, for China and India are the two massive Asian giants. Their peaceful co-existence is crucial for stability in Asia. Tibetans only think of themselves.
Growing tensions are rising. The Indian government is aware of rising negative sentiments against the Tibetan refugee populace who gain so much (e.g. not having to pay taxes) and yet give so little in return. The Lal Qilla fire at the Tibetan sweater market is evidence of this tension. Naturalized Tibetans may be perceived to take Indian jobs and adding to job market competition, leading to even more tension.

Many Tibetans are aware that the hospitality of India can run out. Why make enemies with them? Click to enlarge.

Why the Tibetan leadership remains silent

Where is the CTA in all this debacle? Rather than speaking up, telling their people to either remain under the CTA, or even helping them through their difficulties with the Indian government, the Tibetan leadership have not uttered a single word about the issue.

There might be a number of reasons for this:

Do not want to upset Indian government. There is a possibility that the CTA wishes to avoid being seen as demanding as they have taken so much for 60 years and given nothing in return.
Avoid exposure. It is a well-known fact among Tibetans in exile that their top leaders such as Sikyong (President) Lobsang Sangay and Dhardon Sharling (Secretary of the Department of Information and International Relations) hold foreign passports and citizenships despite this being forbidden by Indian law. Even other figures such as Pema Chonjor and Dickey Choyang, have American and Candadian citizenships, as well as Yellow Books. And therefore the same leaders are leaving it to the ordinary Tibetan to sort out the problem to avoid being questioned about this gross double standard. This double standard itself indicates a serious problem within the Tibetan political setup – gross inequality that raises the question of how genuinely the Tibetan leaders are representing the Tibetan people.
Silence because of hypocrisy. Since it is known they do not follow their own policies and operate with double standards, the CTA do not want to highlight the fact otherwise they would look even worse. It is odd that the CTA should be so aggressive and vocal when it comes to discriminating against a religious practice such as Dorje Shugden and yet remain cowardly meek when it comes to such important issues that affects the future of the Tibetan people.
They do not know what to do. Perhaps the most worrying of all, is that the CTA may not be doing anything about the situation because they simply do not know what to do in the situation. If this is the case, it is better the Tibetans brave the difficulties in gaining Indian citizenship. How can anyone rely on such a weak and impotent government? We saw the same ineptitude and lethargy in the way the CTA failed to curb the spate of self-immolations.

It is a well-known fact that the CTA’s top leaders, such as Sikyong Lobsang Sangay and Dhardon Sharling have foreign passports as well CTA identity documents. Click to enlarge.

Who is right?

While some commentators say that the Indian authorities are being unfair, we have to look objectively at the conditions they imposed on Tibetans applying for Indian passports.

Logical. An objective examination of the conditions imposed on Tibetans applying for Indian passports concludes that the stipulations are in fact quite reasonable. After all, how can someone claim to be a stateless Tibetan refugee AND a citizen of India at the same time? As a matter of fact, the existence of the CTA who classes itself as the de facto government on a land that has its own elected and legitimate government itself is illogical. Two separate and distinct governments cannot exist on the same land. If all Tibetans become naturalized Indian citizens, how can they continue to work for or support the CTA as a de facto government in exile? Whose rulings and policies would take precedence, the Indian government or the Tibetan leadership’s? The CTA has it own Prime Minister or President, which is Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, which shows it is its own political body. How can there be two Prime Ministers in one country?
Fair demands. Since India has already gone out on a limb to provide, at great cost, for Tibetans for 60 years, it is wrong and unfair to think of India’s conditions which are required by law, to be onerous and unreasonable. As it is the Indian government has granted the Tibetan people protection under an asylum, land on which Tibetan settlements stand, and tolerated the Tibetan leadership for decades. But instead of being grateful to India for this privilege, the Tibetan leadership and their supporters choose to complain about the conditions that India imposes upon them. Have they forgotten that the only reason the leadership even has a place to station themselves is due to the kindness of the Indian leadership? The very fact the Dalai Lama is allowed to do as he pleases and the Tibetans are always campaigning for a free Tibet on Indian soil, which is itself a strain on Sino-Indian relations, shows the broad latitude the Tibetans have been given. Yet they are not satisfied and demand more. The Tibetans need to realize that having an Indian passport is a privilege, not an entitlement.

It is logical that Tibetans give up the benefits of being considered a refugee if they become Indian citizens. Here a Tibetan asks the author of the article to “have shame brother, have shame” (translation from Hindi) about his comments that India is making Tibetans give up their Tibetan identity. Click to enlarge.

The end of the CTA

It does not take much to see that the entire basis of the CTA’s existence is flawed, the reasoning of the Tibetans fraught with self-serving considerations and the behaviour of the Tibetan leadership anarchical and absurd. In a world where information flows freely and the world is becoming globalized, how far can the CTA go with the way they have been conducting themselves and supposedly ‘governing’ their own people? Just like their many abusive policies such as their persecution of a large community of their own people based on religion, the CTA’s policies are increasingly being exposed to be juvenile, delinquent and downright unlawful. Just by looking at this Indian passport saga reveals a lot about the CTA and the bizarre culture they have engendered.

Indian citizenship secures the future of Tibetans and their descendants. The CTA does not.

The fact that many people are beginning the process of becoming Indian citizens, does not speak well for the CTA who have had ample time to improve their people’s situation, and neither does it bode well for their future. In fact it shows the CTA’s outright and abysmal failure as an administration of a small group of refugees. They have not improved the lives of its people, and neither have they regained their country, either through independence, meaningful autonomy, or friendly relations with China. In essence it is because of the CTA’s inability that ordinary Tibetans are now forced to get citizenship from India. This was not something they would have done decades ago, but as the CTA continue with their mismanagement, corruption and bad politics, the Tibetans themselves are forced to act on their own.

A prediction of the end of the CTA by a Tibetan from New York, USA. Click to enlarge.

Overall, the CTA are not grateful towards India, even though they have some rights under the guise of being a refugee. If you look at the standard of living of many Tibetans in their settlements, it is much higher than their Indian counterparts. Many of the “refugees” in the Tibetan settlements in India actually own very beautiful cars, mansions, carry two passports (illegally), and yet they remain unhappy as well as ungrateful towards India.

Why do you never hear about Tibetans speaking up for Indian causes or Indian orphans? Why do you not hear of the CTA creating orphanages, soup kitchens, battered women’s shelters, rehabilitation facilities for local Indians, millions of whom live well below the poverty line? Why do the Tibetan guests not master Indian culture or learn to read and write Indian languages fluently? Why do they not master Indian dance, art, or music? Why is it that the so-called “refugees” never sell textiles produced by single mothers in India, who sincerely need help to survive? Likewise, Tibetans do not open up hospitals or clinics to treat the local Indian populace, or care for the elderly and dying, like Mother Theresa did in Calcutta. Someone like Mother Theresa was granted the honor of Indian citizenship for her 50 years of service, during which she relieved the plight of the poor, sick and homeless in India, and she asked for nothing in return. She was a foreigner as well.

The majority of Tibetans in India and their so-called CTA “leaders” never address issues such as how to relieve the social ills plaguing India, her poverty, or discuss how Tibetans can contribute to Indian society. Yet they quibble, argue and sue their host country’s government for a passport that they are really not entitled to. It is an honor, a blessing and privilege to carry an Indian passport, graciously bestowed on a Tibetan refugee, and yet in their ingratitude all they think about is migrating to another county. Tibetans deserve human dignity and opportunities like everyone else, but they should stop whining over their supposed difficulties as refugees in India, and forcing the privilege of having citizenship.

No country in the world has been as generous and kind to the Tibetan diaspora as Mother India has. Yet they receive nothing in return. Perhaps the Dalai Lama and his “democratically” appointed secular and spiritual leaders should teach their community the physical and tangible ways to repay the biggest kindness they have received since 1959, during the most darkest of moments in Tibetan history.

The CTA’s own machinations have landed them in their own snares. As the CTA’s significance wanes, the Tibetan people will eventually no longer feel the need to listen to anything the CTA says, but will instead be obliged to follow democratic Indian law, as does every other Indian citizen.

Get Indian passport and become homeless for a second time

Passport of India

By Lobsang Wangyal
McLEOD GANJ, India, 22 June 2017

Becoming homeless for a second time, Tibetans in India who are applying for an Indian passport have been told to leave the settlements where they were born and lived their whole lives.

Following the Delhi High Court order in September 2016 that all Tibetans born in India between January 1950 to July 1987 are Indian citizens by birth and should be issued passports, many Tibetans started applying for their passport.

Since the court order, some have obtained passports, while others are encountering various obstructions.

New rules issued by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, have put an even greater stumbling block in the way of Tibetans seeking passports.

Tibet Sun obtained a copy of the new rules which state that Tibetans who apply for a passport cannot live in the Tibetan settlements.

Two women from Bylakuppe who applied for a passport in Bangalore were told that they must provide a different address other than their settlement address in order to process their applications, and that they can no longer live in the settlement.

The Regional Passport Office (RPO) in Bangalore handed the new rules to a monk who after getting his passport was told to surrender his Registration Certificate (RC, the stay permit for Tibetans), and to fulfil the conditions of the new rules.

The rules state:

Registration Certificate and Identity Certificate should be cancelled.
Applicant should not be staying at any of the designated Tibetan Refugee Settlements.
Application should furnish an undertaking/declaration on plain paper to the effect that he no longer enjoys CTA [Central Tibetan Administration] benefits.
Applicant should provide an undertaking/declaration on plain paper that he no longer enjoys any privileges including subsidies which would have accrued to him/her by virtue of being a RC holder and that these have been returned/surrendered.

With respect to Sl no 1, your identity Certificate has been received in this office and the same is retained in safe custody.

Regarding the Registration Certificate, you are advised to furnish the cancellation certificate from the concerned FRRO Office to which you have surrendered the same also certifying that you are not residing at the designated Tibetan Refugee Settlement.

Click to read the letter

The monk from Bangalore signed an undertaking to this effect when he surrendered his RC.

Tsering, a Tibetan resident of Forsyth Ganj near McLeod Ganj, whose application is pending due to a permanent address issue, said that he was asked to sign an undertaking at Shimla RPO stating that he will not take benefits of CTA.

The rules have put Tibetans in a dilemma as they want the benefits of a passport, but applying for one would make them homeless.

Further, the rules are confusing in saying that an applicant can no longer enjoy CTA benefits. CTA is an independent entity, run by exile Tibetans with the main aims of working for a free Tibet and looking after the welfare of Tibetans.

The question arises whether Tibetans after getting Indian passport are no longer a part of the CTA, and cannot get benefits such as the Fulbright scholarships sponsored the US government.

Not every benefit and opportunity managed by CTA is dependent on holding an RC. What about the fact that many top leaders in the CTA do not possess RC — including the Sikyong (President of CTA)?

Advocate Simarpal Sawhney in Delhi in an interview told Tibet Sun that these new MEA rules for Tibetans are in violation of Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

“These rules are made by some officials, not following any existing law. There is every reason to challenge these rules in court,” Sawhney said.

Meanwhile, due to lack of clear information at various RPOs about the court order to issue passport to Tibetans and the procedure to process applications, many Tibetans are left in limbo.

A Tibetan monk from Mainpat told Tibet Sun that the RPO Raipur, the capital of Indian state Chattisgarh, refused to accept his application.

“I was told by the officials of RPO Raipur that Tibetans will not be issued passports,” the monk said.

There has been no reply to an email enquiry about the issue, and all calls to the RPO have gone unanswered.

The RPO denying passports to Tibetans is seen as defying the Delhi High Court order of 22 September 2016, as well as the MEA letter of 17 March 2017, ordering RPOs to issue passport to eligible Tibetans (born between 1950 and 1987, and their children).

Many Tibetans under the jurisdiction of Kangra Suprintendant of Police receive an adverse police verification report, stating they don’t own land and property, and hence their permanent address cannot be approved.

They are then stuck not knowing what to do, wondering if possessing land or property is a condition to get a passport, which it is not.

Due to lack of clear rules about processing and surrendering RC and IC (the Yellow Book issued to Tibetans for travel purposes in place of a passport), Tibet Sun filed a RTI (Right to Information) request with the following questions:

What is the procedure to surrender IC (the Yellow Book) when people of Tibetan parentage apply for a new Indian passport following the Delhi High Court order?
If there is a rule regarding surrender of IC, have all the RPOs been instructed to follow the rule?
Should the RPOs return the IC to the holder, as the book has the person’s travel record?
Should the RPOs mention the IC number in the ‘Old Passport number’ field at the back of the new Indian passport?
Have there been any instructions to the FROs on how and when to surrender the Registration Certificate (RC)? Should the RC be surrendered at the nearest FRO like the IC is surrendered at the nearest RPO after getting the passport?

And the reply from the Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) Division of the MEA, which is the authority responsible for issuing passports and ICs, was in part:

Point No.1:-
It may be noted that as per the provisions of Rule 13 of Passport Rules, 1980, a person at a certain point of time may not hold two valid travel documents and he has to surrender one of the two passports/valid travel documents to the Passport Authority.

Points No.2, 3 and 4:-
As such no information is available in this office (PV.I Section) of CPV Division of MEA. Hence, no information can be provided in this regard.

Point No.5:-
The information sought by the applicant does not pertain to this office and may be obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Click to read the letter

The RTI request was sent by post on 19 May, after the online RTI submittal form failed to work. A complaint to the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India, about the failure of the online form went unanswered.

Click to read the full report

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Mongolia Bans the Dalai Lama

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 19:09:13 +0000

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s recent surprise visit to Mongolia has left serious repercussions for the Mongolian people, which the Mongolian leadership has had to take significant steps to mitigate.

By: Shashi Kei

The Mongolian people are hurting. In a few relatively short years, the mineral-rich country has gone from being Asia’s next golden child to an awkward binge drinking and debt-ridden teenager with behavioral issues. The government does not have enough money to pay its own staff and the proud Mongolian people are resorting to all manner of ways to pay for goods and services including antiquated barter. And all this is before a public debt and fiscal commitments totaling $4.3 billion become due in 2017. A bailout was imminent to stop the Mongolian economy from disintegrating and the government was in the midst of negotiations with China, who is the biggest buyer of Mongolia’s commodities and its main investor. This Asian tiger was also the provider of a $2.3 billion currency swap in 2009 that staved off Mongolia’s economic meltdown then. Clearly China is important to Mongolia and has been a friend to the landlocked nation. But His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s recent visit to Mongolia forced a change and dampened hopes of big brother China coming to Mongolia’s aid again. What is curious is why the Mongolian people would invite the nemesis of the Chinese government for a visit precisely at a time when they have to be extra friendly with the economic juggernaut that is China. What is even more telling is why the Dalai Lama would agree to be hosted at such a time when he was fully aware that his visit would impair the very pivot that the Mongolians desperately need to turn their economy around. A week after Ulaanbaatar welcomed the Dalai Lama, China imposed what is essentially a blockade preventing Mongolian trucks from crossing over its borders. Things are now bleaker than ever for Mongolia. The Dalai Lama’s visit as it turned out was neither kind nor wise. Again we witness what many nations of the world have realized for some time now – there is only ruin in the wake of supporting the Tibetan ’cause’, especially now, namely because overt friendship with the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is seen by China as taking the side of what China regards as a ‘separatist’. Also because as Ugyen Gyalpo, the regular columnist of The Tibetan Sun notes, Tibetan politicians are only interested in seeking out what benefits themwithout further calculating much else. So it didn’t matter if the Dalai Lama’s visit plunged the Mongolians deeper into despair as it was never their concern. This would also explain the recent assertion by the CTA’s Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, that India should prioritize the Tibet issue above India’s own national interest and cross-border issues matters with China.

Mr. Tsend Munkh-Orgil, the Mongolian Minister of Foreign Affairs (left) with his Chinese counterpart, Mr. Wang Yi

Ultimately, the Tibetan government’s self-seeking ways have backfired. As China lodged their complaints over the Dalai Lama’s visit to Mongolia, the Mongolians reacted by banning the Dalai Lama from ever visiting the country again. The Mongolian Minister of Foreign Affairs Tsend Munkh-Orgil confirmed in an official statement picked up by news agencies around the world that the Dalai Lama will henceforth be barred from entering Mongolia even if the purpose of the visit is purely spiritual in nature. In particular, the Minister stressed that all recognitions and enthronements of Mongolian lamas, especially that of His Holiness the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa, the highest ranking Gelugpa lama in Mongolia, should be purely a Mongolian affair and without the interference of the Dalai Lama. And with that, another door closes to the Dalai Lama not only as a figurehead for the Tibetan struggle but also with the Dalai Lama as the main influence of Buddhism in Mongolia. Ironically, as a result of the Dalai Lama’s visit to their country, the nation most associated with the rise and sovereignty of the Dalai Lamas has joined the increasingly loud chorus of nations that have picked China over the Dalai Lama. After 57 years of struggle the ‘Tibetan Cause’ is no more than a romantic notion and a simple and facile way for liberal governments to boost their public relations image. The reality is none of the governments, including India, that appear to be in support of the Dalai Lama has ever denied that Tibet is a part of China. After all, the liberal West countries that seem to be behind the Tibetan struggle to gain independence were not always benevolent masters, and have built their nation’s wealth and status on the backs of natives who had their homelands brutally annexed and their people treated as savages, to be denied their own identity, culture and religion. Even today those who condemn China’s human rights record have much of their own unresolved atrocities to explain away. Who would dare now to brazenly accuse China of the same acts, especially in light of the fact Tibetans in exile have little (if anything at all) to benefit its supporters? An honest examination will lead anybody to conclude that there is little to benefit from a close relationship with the Tibetan leadership, whether economically, politically or ethically. The Dalai Lama’s government (the CTA) has over-played the sympathy card which they exploited for over half a century. In the same time, China rose from the ashes of Mao’s destructive rule and became not merely an economic superpower but also a competent ally in a complicated and globalized world. And if the Dalai Lama and his exiled government’s eyes have been trained on seeking out opportunities that benefit only themselves, how then can they begrudge anyone from doing something similar in seeking China’s friendship to advance their own well-being? With Mongolia’s announcement that they recognise a One China policy, and they have banned the Dalai Lama from further visits to their country, Tibetans in exile are today left with few competent friends. These few remaining friends are now vital given the CTA’s gross ineptitude to manage its own affairs in a time frame within which many nations have won independence. The Dalai Lama should now realize that he is left with only one card to play: to reunite all Tibetans he had previously disenfranchised, for example the Jonangpas or the Karma Kagyu practitioners who are in support of the Karmapa Thaye Dorje, as well as Dorje Shugden lamas who before his religious apartheid, were spiritual powerhouses. They remain influential and are bound tighter by the common religious oppression they face. In the 20 years since the Dalai Lama’s ban on the Dorje Shugden practice, these lamas have spread around the world and have built impressive networks of followers transcending politics, borders and socioeconomic stratum. The most prominent Tibetan Buddhist centers in the world today are built by Shugden lamas and most are still managed by lamas who have kept their faith in the deity the Dalai Lama prohibited and in so doing, weakened the Tibetan state immeasurably. There are 4 million Shugden practitioners in the world that the Dalai Lama and CTA can tap into, to be goodwill ambassadors of the Tibetan issue. And as doors close to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader must now call for the repair of bridges necessary for all Tibetans to be reconciled but to do that, he must first abolish this woeful religious ban.